Quick freezing ice tray



` JUNI-'5, 1939- J. H. DE MURGUIONDO 3,152,162

QUICK FREEZING lCE TRAY Filed March 5, 193e JE 1.3M

@fw @W "andava Patented. .lune 13.31,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE QUICK FREEZING ICE TRAY Application March 5, 1938, Serial No. 194,204

3 claims. (ci. fia-108.5)

This invention relates to improvements in trays for mechanical refrigerators and more particularly to a novel tray for making ice cubes o r the like.

At the present time the molding trays of mechanical refrigerators are formed of permanent materials, such as metal or rubber, and they are relatively expensive. what difficult with such trays to remove a part of the cubes without loosening or partially melting the other cubes in the tray. Therefore, the primary purpose of my invention is to provide a tray formed of a. relatively cheap destructible material, such as a paper composition, so that the tray or a part of the same may be discarded or thrown away after it has been used only once, thereby providing an extremely simple way of removing the ice cubes from the cells without any other help such as hot water, etc.; it being necessary only to peel the surrounding paper off the cube and so preventing the latter from coming in contact with the hands at all.

A further object is to provide such a tray in which the pockets or cells form individual molds, each `of which may be readily detached from the tray so that one or more cubes or the like may be removed Without disturbing the remainder of them.

Anotherobject is to furnish trays which may be shipped, stored and sold in nested relation to conserve space and facilitate handling.

A still further object is to supply a tray constructed to facilitate the use of differently colored liquids for cube purposes.

A further and important object is to provide trays of such inexpensive construction that they may be sold in the same manner as paper cups, dishes and the like, and maybe destroyed after being used a single time.

Various features of my invention are fully set forth in the following detail description and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. l is a perspective view of a tray made in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional View of a portion cf the same.

Before proceeding with the detail description of the invention, it will be noted that I lpropose to make my improved trays of any suitablecellulosic brous material, such as relatively still paper, which may be pressed or molded to form cups or cells 3 and is coated as shown at 4 with any suitable water-proofing substance, such as paraffin.

The cubes may be made in any suitable shape,

Furthermore, it is some-- for example, as hearts, diamonds, spades, or clubs,

as shown in my Design Patent No. 107,317, dated December '7, 1937, and for the purpose of illustration I have shown the cups or cells as being of inverted substantially pyramidal form; and as the bottoms 5 of the cells are smaller than the upper ends thereof and the walls'G converge downwardi 1y, it will be understood that the trays may be packed in nested relation and the shape of the cups will facilitate the discharge of themolded ice from them.

To permit an individual cube or the like to be detached from the tray Without disturbing the cups holding the remainder of the molded ice, the top of the tray is -provided with lines of perforations 1 so that the marginal ange 8 at the top of each cup may be torn .away from the marginal flanges of adjacent cups when desired.

I prefer to form the tray with one or mo-re inverted U-shaped portions 9 which may not only be used as a handle for the tray butwill form an upstanding Wall or barrier to prevent liquid of one color deposited in the cups at one side of the tray from overflowing into the cups at the other side. This will facilitate the introduction of liquid of one color into the cups at one side and the introduction of a dierently colored liquid into the cups of the other side.

The barrier Wall or handle is also provided with lines lll of perforations which have the same function as the perforations 1.

In some instances, it is feasible to make the tray of Cellophane or similar sheet materials, and if such materials are used, it will be unnecessary to coat the tray with any water-proof substance, such as shown at 4.

Many modifications of the invention will be apparent'to those skilled in the art without departing therefrom or from the scope of the claims and since the foregoing disclosure has beenggiven by way of example for clearness and understanding, no unnecessary limitation should be understood and the appended claims should be construed as broadly as the state of the art permits.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A Vquick freezing tray for ice cubes or the like formed of readily destructible water-proofed material and comprising a multiplicity of individual cups having their upper edge portions joined together by relatively narrow portions of the top of the tray to facilitate tearing the individual cups from the tray, the tray being provided with a medial barrier Wall upstanding from the top thereof and extending transversely across the tray.

2. A quick freezing tray for ice cubes or the like formed o1' readily destructible water-proofed material and comprising a multiplicity of individual cups having their upper edge portion joined together by narrow portions of the top of the tray to facilitate tearing the individual cups from the tray, the tray being provided with a medial inverted U-shape barrier.,wa1l upstand ing from the top thereof and extending transversely across the tray, said wall being of sufficient height to form a handle and being provided with a line of perforations at its ridge to facilitate tearing of the same.

3, A quick freezing tray for ice cubes or the like formed of readily destructible water-prooied cellulosic fibrous material and comprising a multiplicity of individual. cups tapering inwardly from their tops to their bottoms and having plane walls, said cups having straight upper edge portions joined together by narrow portions of the top of the tray to facilitate tearing the individual cups from the tray, the tray being provided with a medial inverted U-shape barrier wall upstanding from the top thereof and extending transversely across the tray, said wall being of sufricient height to form a handle.

JOSE H. DE MURGUIONDO. 

